Virgin's international lounge access - blatantly rubbish info on website

[brzbnkr]

So Virgin's web page on international lounge access, for which they have a lovely little disclaimer - "

While every effort is made to maintain the accuracy of these details, access to the listed lounges cannot be guaranteed due to changes made by our partners or the third parties operating the lounges" -​

(which shouldn't give them the right to not bother keeping the page up to date), says that Platinum members travelling on Etihad should be able to use the Thai Royal Orchid Lounge in Bangkok.

Well it's 10pm Bangkok time (1am Aust time), I've had a fight with 3 different staff members at the Royal Orchid and Royal Silk lounges (one of which was apparently the manager), even showing them the Virgin webpage which says this.

Their response, in a typical Thai "I don't care, go away" attitude, is: "You no come in, we never take this card, it not star alliance!". No amount of reasoning was going to win against them.

Thanks Virgin, you've made my 6 hour layover even more pleasant now!! :evil:

Anyone else experienced inability to use lounges which Virgin says you can use?

 

[Mal]

So is it virgins issue, or are the local staff just poorly trained?

I've been to lounges where the staff don't even know their own rules, some lounges (eg BA) actually have clue cards printed up to guide staff. (And even then, I was incorrectly denied access to one BA lounge)

All you can do is feed this back to Virgin Australia and see if they can get things corrected (either their website or a reminder to their lounge partner) ....

And yes, once a lounge staffer has it in their mind that you aren't allowed in, VERY hard to change their mind. I would also suggest that this would be more difficult in Thailand due to cultural reasons.

 

[brzbnkr]

Poorly trained was my first thought. Which is why I tried showing her the webpage - she said she doesn't care what Virgin's website says, her manual says no. Which is why I asked her to get her manager - who was the one across the walkway at the other lounge - who said the same thing. So my assumption at this stage is that a change has been made to partner lounge access and Virgin hasn't bothered to update their webpage.
Exactly as you say, the cultural issue with Thai people can be very hard to overcome - when they think they're right, it is VERY difficult to convince them of your argument. Probably impossible, as they are [in an official capacity] the person with the greater authority, so it would require someone with a greater level of authority to tell them they are wrong (which, in Thailand, is rarely (ever?) the customer!).

The fun of Asia.

After the last 2 months in SE Asia, I'm happy to be leaving here again... I think I need a break for a couple of years this time!! (I hope that doesn't sound racist!)

 

[Jack_OC]

Interestingly, my experience travelling with Etihad as a Gold FF is that they have given me an invite card for partner lounges at check in. E.g. when travelling on VA metal out of SYD on an EY code, they gave me an invite card for the Air NZ lounge in SYD. Not sure if you would have had any luck if you went to the EY service desk to ask? Might be worth a try if you or someone else has the same problem again.

 

[richie9x]

Looking at Virgin's web page it lists a huge number of third party lounges that are available when flying as a Velocity platinum on Etihad. According to that webpage a Velocity Platinum (or Gold) gets lounge access at Bangkok when flying on a VA codeshare on Etihad, but a business class passenger does not. To me something seems wrong.

Either Virgin/Etihad are very generous with their lounge access provisions or that webpage has a few mistakes.

Lounge access rules can be hard enough, but it certainly doesn't help when airlines publish incorrect information.

 

[markis10]

I wonder if the OP was at the wrong lounge, there are a few Royal Silk lounges and interestingly they vary in what they offer, could it be there is a specific designated one for EY?

 

[DirkDiggler]

Whenever I have flown with a partner (mainly Air NZ to Shanghai) they give you an invite card to the local lounge, that's after you convince the China Airways staff that man the Air NZ counter that your Virgin status is valid (that was a battle in itself)

 

[777]

In my experience (at other ports) you need to get an invitation from Etihad in order to use the their partner lounges. The lounge managers themselves may not let you in but Etihad without a pass from Etihad are more than happy to give you the paperwork expictly telling them to do so. Did you speak to an Etihad rep?

 

[pblackie]

A Year ago I was flying JNB - LHR with Virgin Atlantic. I went to the Club House and was told by the Club House Manager I was not entitled to use the Lounge, I told her I was allowed to and she got a folder out, opened it saying she had an email saying Velocity members could only use LHR and HKG Club House lounges, read something and then confirmed the statement but wouldn't show me the email and then escorted me to the door. I left but once outside decided this wasn't on, I went back inside and showed her the VA website to show that I could use the Lounge, her response was its false advertising and they are lying to you. After 10 mins of arguing she said well as its on the website and as you are here I'll let you in. Once in the Lounge I fired off an email to the head of VA's Flying Club which was forwarded to their "executive Office". The response I got was that the Club House Manager was wrong and an offer of a 2 sector upgrade next time I flew with them. I think with the loose and evolving alliances it is often down to poor training of partner airline lounge staff but that does not remove the frustration.

 

[markis10]

I think with the loose and evolving alliances it is often down to poor training of partner airline lounge staff but that does not remove the frustration.

I dont think thats the case for just "loose and evolving alliances", I have had issues getting One World Access to a lounge when on a CX flight thats 12 hours away when it was early AM, and the BA/QF fracas over QP access is another example. Lounge Invites do tend to take the issue out of the lounge dragons hands.

 

[oz_mark]

I doubt training is the issue. If they look up their access rules, and that doesn't allow access, the problem us really in keeping the documentation correct.

 

[Fruitcake]

I doubt training is the issue. If they look up their access rules, and that doesn't allow access, the problem us really in keeping the documentation correct.

The one time I've had this issue, the lounge staffer refused to look at her access rules because she "knew" them.

 

[notzac]

Funny - the only time I've had issues obtaining bennies was on BA out of AMS. So, definitely not unique to VA's idea of an "alliance" (although probably more common).

 

[trooper]

Flew back from the USA through BKK this week.... Our last flight (BKK-SYD) was actually on TG... yet when we got the BP's at the transfer desk we were ALSO given a Lounge invite... Maybe one can only access the lounge (Royal Silk anyway) like that???

 

[Jack_OC]

Looking at Virgin's web page it lists a huge number of third party lounges that are available when flying as a Velocity platinum on Etihad. According to that webpage a Velocity Platinum (or Gold) gets lounge access at Bangkok when flying on a VA codeshare on Etihad, but a business class passenger does not. To me something seems wrong.

AFAIK VA don't fly from BKK at all, even via code shares, so lounge access is not shown for VA J class out of BKK, because there is no such thing! I assume the OP was on an EY ticket, and if he was in J, he would have gotten lounge access as a benefit of that fare, rather than as a bemefit of VA status.

Either Virgin/Etihad are very generous with their lounge access provisions or that webpage has a few mistakes.

Lounge access rules can be hard enough, but it certainly doesn't help when airlines publish incorrect information.

I'm pretty sure the info on the website is correct. I'm not sure why you say VA/EY are very generous with lounge access - it's simply a case of them providing lounge access to J & F pax and FF elites at every airport they fly from. No different to OW status getting you lounge access pretty much anywhere that you fly from with any OW carrier. You're right that there are a lot of third party lounges on the list, but that's just because EY and VA don't have their own lounges in most of those airports, so they contract with someone else to use theirs.

 

[777]

I think the point with Etihad contract lounges is that the lounges themselves have a relationship with Etihad not with Virgin. Therefore you require Etihad to issue you an invitation to use the lounge which (in my experience) they have always done when asked. But just fronting up at the lounge with a virgin card will do you no good because you need the invite from Etihad.

 

[Airbumps]

This is the issue with Virgin and its half coughd attempt at global partnerships. Its all well and good for marketing, but the customer is the one who's left haggling over what Virgin sell as benefits of being a frequent flyer with them.

SORT IT OUT VIRGIN OR JOIN A DAMN ALLIANCE!

 

[Mal]

This is the issue with Virgin and its half coughd attempt at global partnerships. Its all well and good for marketing, but the customer is the one who's left haggling over what Virgin sell as benefits of being a frequent flyer with them.

SORT IT OUT VIRGIN OR JOIN A DAMN ALLIANCE!

This is a global issue, not specifically a VA issue. Where have I been (incorrectly) denied access to lounges?
... BA LHR Arrivals.
... CX LHR
... BA MIA.

Yet, my lounge entries with virgin partners have been flawless...

 

[JohnPhelan]

Where have I been (incorrectly) denied access to lounges?
... BA LHR Arrivals.

This intrigues me, as the BA LHR Arrivals lounge access is incredibly clear and simple. Under what circumstances were you denied access?

 

[moa999]

This is a global issue, not specifically a VA issue. Where have I been (incorrectly) denied access to lounges?
... BA LHR Arrivals.
... CX LHR
... BA MIA.

Equally have been to the three above (albeit did not stay in the latter two for too long) without incident,